Be sure to
visit our Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center when you’re in our neck of the woods.
Located on Route 2 West in Lancaster, Mass., between exits 35 and 34, it’s chock-full
of helpful brochures and locally made crafts, books, jams and jellies, giftware and
souvenirs of all kinds. Our trained staff and volunteers will enjoy welcoming you
to the Center, and providing you with customized travel advice and “insider
information."

We
are open 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Welcome to Johnny Appleseed Country Tourist Center

Spring is HERE!

The long awaited spring has finally arrived in
Appleseed Country! With Easter only a few weeks away, there is plenty to do.

Our first event has it all at the Easter Day Celebration at Wachusett
Mountain! On Sunday, April 5th, starting at 7am, come for the 7am Sunrise
Service. Join Wachusett atop the mountain for a morning service just after
sunrise. To get to the service please take the Polar Express Chairlift, which begin
taking people to the summit at 6:30am. A valid (FREE) lift ticket will be required
to access the lift. This can be picked up at Customer Service starting at 6am. In
the event of inclement weather, the service will be conducted inside the base lodge.

Next, from 8am-10am, it's Easter Breakfast. Join Wachusett for an Easter
Breakfast served up hot in the cafeteria. Plenty of options to choose from
and a great way to start to the day.

And then at 10am & 10:30am, there will be two Separate Easter Egg Hunts.
The first will be a hunt for the little ones - ages 4-8 who will gather off the granite
room deck. The second will be for the older kids, ages 9-14 and will take place near
the Easy Rider lift. (we will temporaily be closing this area to skiing and riding
during the hunt).

At 11am, it's Orson's Easter Parade! Keep your eyes peeled for
Orson, who will be handing out special prizes and lead kids around the base area!
A great photo opportunity.

Wachusett is also offering a Special Easter Day Deal! Dress like an Easter Bunny
or wear your best Easter Bonnet and receive a 1/2 Price Lift Ticket! (outfit must
be visible while skiing or riding). For more information, click here.

The Hunt is ON!

Starting
at 11am on March 28th, it is Princeton's Easter Egg Hunt by
the Town of Princeton Parks and Recreation at the Princeton Center building, Boylston
Avenue, Princeton.

Also on Saturday, March 28th from 1pm-2pm, it is the 3rd Annual Ashburnham
Easter Egg Hunt. This hunt is for Pre-K to Gr 5 in the Oakmont Regional
High School Gym, 9 Oakmont Dr., Ashburnham.

Hop like the Easter Bunny Himself on Friday, April 3rd from 10am-noon while hunting
for eggs at the 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Hop On In, 217 Hamilton
St., Leominster.

From 9am-4pm on Friday, April 3rd, it's Leominster's Easter Celebration
at City Hall, 25 West St., Leominster. The Easter Bunny will be at City Hall for pictures,
face painting, and live bunnies to pet!. For more information, contact the Leominster Recreation Department,
978-534-7529.

Next up, On Saturday, April 4th from 8am-1pm, is the Easter’s Great
Gathering at the Red Apple Farm, Highland Ave., Phillispton. This annual
event includes Children’s Egg Hunts (for various age groups), an adult egg hunt
with fabulous prizes, an Easter vendor fair with flowers, honey, maple products and
more, orchard hayrides, Easter Basket Raffle, baby farm animals, and brunch with the
Easter Bunny! Proceeds benefit the Congregational Church of Phillipston. For more
information, visit www.redapplefarm.com.

Don't forget the Easter Eggstravaganza at Doyle
Community Park & Center, 464 Abbott Avenue, Leominster on April 4th from 10am-noon.
Free for members and kids 12 and under, Nonmembers:$5. Call (978) 840-4446 for more
information.

Also on Saturday, April 4th from 8am-6pm is the Easter Egg Hunt at Lanni
Orchards, Route 13, Lunenburg. Free admission. See how many eggs you can
find, spring crafts, slushies, raffles and more. For more information, visitwww.lanniorchards.com.

From 2pm-3pm on the 4th, you can attend another Easter Egg Hunt at Kid's
Kingdom. This one is for ages 0-11 and is put on by the Lunenburg Turkey
Hill Family Lions Club. Kid's Kingdom is at 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg.

And a little later in the season, on April 19th at 9am, Lancaster 4-H will hold
its Annual Easter Egg Hunt on the Lancaster Town Green (Not held
on Easter this year due to snow on the Town Green!). Please plan to arrive 15 min.
early, as they are very prompt with the starting time. Visit with the Easter Bunny
while waiting. Children are required to collect the eggs themselves. Sorry parents,
you can not pick them up for them! Please bring a bag to put your goodies in. There
will be assigned areas for different ages: up to 4, ages 5 to 7, and ages 8 to 10.
Rain date April 26, 2015. For more information, contact Peggy Corbett at lancaster4h@comcast.net.

Finding the Easter Bunny

One of the Easter Bunny's first appearances in Appleseed Country is on Saturday,
March 28th from 8am-11am at the Bunny Breakfast put on by the John
R. Briggs PTA at JR Brigg's Elementary School, 96 Williams Road, Ashburnham. Adults
$6.00; Seniors $4.00; 12 & Under $4.00.

Visit with the Easter Bunny at Colonial Candies, 47 Sugar Rd.,
Bolton from March 21st-April 4th on Saturdays and Sundays from noon-5pm. Call (978)
779-6586 for more information.

The Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley is offering both Easter
Sunday Brunch Buffet with the Bull Run Easter Bunny and an Easter Sunday Dinner.
Brunch is in the Sawtelle Room with seatings from 10am-2pm. It is $30 per person,
$18 kids from 6-12, and kids 5 & under are free. For dinner in the Tavern, seatings
are from Noon-6pm with a regular Dinner menu plus Chef Isaac's Easter features! For
more information and to make reservations, call (978) 425-4311 or visit www.bullrunrestaurant.com/Bull_Run_Restaurant/Easter.html to
see their menu.

And while it is not quite the Easter Bunny, kids can come to Jo-Ann Fabric on
March 28th from noon-2pm for a Kids' Bunny Jar Party located at the
Whitney Field Mall, 100 Commercial Rd, Leominster. This age range includes Elementary
and Tweens and is $15/person. Call 978-466-5186 for more information.

Yummy Easter Brunch

We have some great Easter Brunch options this year!

The Chocksett Inn in Sterling is taking reservations for their
brunch from 10:30am-3pm. Adults are $29.95 and kids 12 and under are $19.95. To make
reservations, call (978) 422-3355 or visit www.chocksettinn.com/easter.html
to see their menu.

The Colonial Hotel in Gardner is having their brunch from 10am-3pm.
Adults are $29.95, seniors are $24.95, and kids 12 and under are $19.95. To make reservations,
call (978) 630-2500 or visit www.colonial-hotel.com/easter.html
to see their menu.

The Gardner Ale House is having an Easter Brunch Buffet from 9am-2pm.
Adults are $25, kids 5-12 are $10, and kids 4 and under are free. The buffet includes
their Chocolate Fountain Dessert Station. Live jazz will be played by Chet Williamson.
For reservations or more information, call (978) 669-0122 or visit gardnerale.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/GAH_Easter-Brunch_2015.jpg
to check out the menu.

Savor Easter brunch at Twigs Café at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.
Flowers AND food! Seatings are at 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Cost is $31.95 Per
Person, Children under 10 are $13.95, Children under 5 are $6.95. For Reservations
please call (508) 869-6111. For their menu, visit www.towerhillbg.org/files/5814/2652/4308/Easterbrunch2015.pdf.

We hope you have a great time in Appleseed Country this Easter season!

Yummy....Trees?

Real Maple Syrup. It's one of the perks of living in New England. It's a farewell to winter, a welcome
to spring -- and a delicious New England tradition. The process of collecting sap
from seemingly sleeping trees, creating clouds of steam and producing that oh-so-sweet
delicacy known as maple syrup marks the change in seasons in Johnny Appleseed Country.
To see it happen, and taste the results, visitHollis Hills
Farm(pictured, right) in Fitchburg on weekends from
mid-March into April, or stop by Heifer Farmin
Rutland on March 7-8 and 14-15, where you can also enjoy the syrup on pancakes!

For more information on how syrup is made, visit www.massmaple.org/how.php.
The following list of area sugar houses is from the same site. Just call before making
the drive to check their inventory.

Our area is filled with places to get this delectable pancake topper! Stop by our
visitor center between exits 35 and 34 westbound on Rt. 2 where we sell syrup from
local sugar houses. Or check out one of the local sugar houses below:

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

Are you interested in learning more about Johnny Appleseed Country while serving
your community at the same time? Then volunteer some time at the Visitor Center on
Rt 2 between Exits 35-34 Westbound. For more information, click here for our flyer or please contact Diane Burnette at (978) 534-2829
or email burnette@appleseed.org.